Whipping up your very own homemade chocolate milk is as easy as 1, 2, 3! This creamy drink is so good you’ll never want to buy store-bought chocolate milk again. Great for toddlers, kids, and even adults!
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Homemade Chocolate Milk
Looking for an easy chocolate milk that isn’t loaded with sugar?
Then you need to make this delicious homemade chocolate milk!
Made with 4 simple ingredients – milk, cocoa powder, pure maple syrup,, and vanilla extract, this easy drink can be whipped up in minutes.
Drinking this homemade chocolate milk will have you feeling like a kid again (yes, it’s your house and your rules – you get to have some chocolate milk too!).
Make up a big batch, and you’ll find yourself enjoying this delicious homemade chocolate milk all week long. It’s a perfect addition to lunch, dinner, or even for a quick snack.
Feeding kids can be tricky! But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! Here you can find 40 Family Dinner Ideas, over 100 Kid Snack Ideas, great Smoothies Recipes for Kids, 50 Cooking with Kids Recipes, and so much more! And for even more family-friendly recipes, check out my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.
Reasons to Love This Homemade Chocolate Milk
- Easy peasy to make
- Good source of calcium, protein, and vitamin D
- Less sugar than store-bought brands
- Perfect for a quick snack or as part of lunch or dinner
- Can be made ahead of time
- Great beginner recipe for kids to help in the kitchen
Ingredients Needed
- Milk: use whole milk or any plain unsweetened plant-based milk, such as soy, almond, coconut, etc.
- Cocoa Powder: unsweetened cocoa powder or you can also use cacao powder.
- Maple Syrup: for a little sweetness, you can also use honey or agave nectar.
- Vanilla Extract: use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Health Benefits of Chocolate Milk: Milk by itself is a good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, fats for brain development (if choosing a fuller fat version) and can be a good source of vitamin D if it has been added. Add in some cocoa or cacao powder, and you’re getting a dose of antioxidants, fiber and some iron to make for a tasty and nutritious treat.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add Ingredients: to a blender, add the milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Blend: on medium-high speed, blend for 30-60 seconds or until the cocoa milk is completely smooth.
- Enjoy: Pour into a glass and serve!
How to Store
Homemade chocolate milk should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Give it a good shake or stir to re-mix any cocoa powder that may have settled to the bottom of the container before serving.
What Type of Milk to Use
The best milk for toddlers 1-2 years old is whole cow’s milk, assuming they do not have an allergy or intolerance. However, you can also use plant-based milk, such as coconut, almond, soy, hemp, or oat milk. Regardless of the plant-based milk, choose one that has no added sugar and has been fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
Cooking with Kids
You can easily have your kids help you make this flavored milk.
Toddlers
- Toddlers can help measure and pour the ingredients into the blender.
- They can help put the lid on the blender and push start. Note: make sure to talk about not touching the blender blade while making something in the blender, as it can be sharp.
- Have them pour their milk into their cup.
Kids
- You can pretty much let older kids make this recipe by themselves.
- They can pick out and measure all of the ingredients. Note: make sure to talk about not touching the blender blade while making something in the blender, as it can be sharp.
- Have them pour the chocolate milk into their own cup as well as a second cup for you!
Expert Tips
- Do not give cow’s milk as a drink to babies under one year of age.
- Limit dairy consumption to 16-24 ounces for kids 12-24 months and 2-2.5 cups for kids 2-5 years of age. Too much milk can make bellies too full for other foods and displace other nutrients in the diet, including iron.
- If you don’t want to use a blender – and if you want to make just a serving or two – simply add all ingredients to a large mason jar that you have a lid for. Place the lid on top, and shake, shake, shake it!
- Feel free to adjust the amount of cocoa powder or sweetener to your liking.
- For a dairy-free Chocolate Milk, use any plant-based milk you prefer.
- You can use maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, or pitted dates to sweeten the milk.
- 2 cups milk
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, or pitted dates
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
-
Add Ingredients: to a blender, add the milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
-
Blend: on medium-high speed, blend for 30-60 seconds or until the chocolate milk is completely smooth.
-
Enjoy: Pour into a glass and serve!
Milk Notes: you can use whole milk or any plain unsweetened plant-based milk, such as soy, almond, coconut, etc.
Add-Ins: feel free to add in a pinch of sea salt, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, or even a drizzle of peanut butter or almond butter.